No. 4 Oregon State edges Ohio State for seventh consecutive victory

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Oregon State concluded its opening 10-game homestand on Tuesday night with a 4-3 victory against Ohio State before a crowd of 2,627 at Goss Stadium.

It was the seventh consecutive win overall for the fourth-ranked Beavers (16-3). They went 9-1 in the homestand, are 11-1 in their past 12 games, and improved to 3-2 this season against Big Ten opponents.

The Beavers broke a 3-3 standoff and scored the decisive run in the sixth inning. Andy Peterson legged out an infield single to third base and stole second. Following a walk to Michael Conforto, Peterson scored on Dylan Davis’s single through the left side of the infield.

It was the 20th RBI of the season for Davis, who is second to Conforto (26) in that category. Davis was the only Beaver with more than two hits, as he also doubled and scored Oregon State’s first run in the second inning.

Ohio State (8-7) threatened to tie the game in the eighth inning when Patrick Porter drilled reliever Trent Shelton’s first pitch to deep center field for a triple, with the Buckeyes’ 3-4-5 hitters due up. However, Shelton retired Joe Bosiokovic on a fly ball to short right field, got Ronnie Dawson on a popup to shortstop and then set down Josh Dezse on a fly ball to center field to strand Porter and preserve the lead.

Shelton then kept the Buckeyes off the board in the ninth for his second save. He walked pinch-hitter Jake Brobst to start the inning, but after a strikeout Brobst was gunned down attempting to steal by catcher Logan Ice for the second out. Craig Nennig flew out to left field to end the game.

Freshman Mak Fox (1-0) pitched 3 2/3 innings of shutout relief for the win. Brandon Jackson went 1 2/3 innings and Phil Belding induced the only batter he faced to hit into a double play to end the eighth inning as the bullpen combined for eight scoreless frames.

Oregon State starter Jake Thompson was pulled after the first inning, when a walk and a hit batsman helped the Buckeyes score three times. Thompson had pitched at least five innings and was 3-0 in his previous three appearances.

The Beavers quickly replied and tied the game with a three-spot in the second. Ice drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly and the other two scored on a two-out, bases-loaded infield throwing error.